Without You
by lemonsandcats
Summary: They did it. They finally defeated Hawkmoth. Everything was supposed to be fine now. But it wasn't. It's been 4 years and there is still no sign of Adrien OR Chat Noir. How will Marinette/Ladybug cope? (I guess Adrinette and Ladynoir but overall it's just those 2 dorks being in love with each other. Rated T cause I'm cautious.)
1. Chapter 1

"CHAT, NOW!" Ladybug shouted.

This was it, their final play in the final battle.

Chat lunged forward. He used his cataclysm to destroy the platform Hawkmoth was standing so Ladybug could grab his miraculous. She swung forward at just the right moment, capturing the broach in her hand, she ripped it off his suit. His transformation wore off, soon Hawkmoth was replaced with a beaten looking Gabriel Agreste.

Ladybug was surprised, of course. She had never expected the man who inspired her to become a designer to actually be Paris' evil supervillain.

But Chat.

One look at his face and Ladybug knew he wasn't just surprised, he was heartbroken. In fact, he looked more devastated than anything. Chat looked at her with the most sorrowful look in his eye, but she didn't know why.

Why his ears flattened against his head, which he shook in disbelief, as he slowly backed away from the scene.

Why he ran.

Away from her.

Never to be seen again...


	2. Chapter 2

It had been 4 years since the final battle.

Marinette had just turned 20.

She was in college, majoring in design. But she still found time to patrol as Ladybug.

It wasn't as exhilarating; no akumas, only petty crimes. But it kept her active and it kept Paris safe.

Adrien moved away.

Could you blame him? The kid found out his dad was the villian who had it out for all of Paris!

He left for who knows where immediately after the event transpired.

Couldn't blame him for that either.

But Marinette could blame him for not saying goodbye.

Or not even bothering to write, text, email, facetime, ANYTHING! Anything to let her know he was ok.

Every day she asked Nino or Alya. Every day for 4 years. If they had heard from him.

And every day they shook their heads no.

And every day a little bit of her heart broke.

It wouldn't have been so bad...

If it weren't for the fact that the same thing happened with Chat.


	3. Chapter 3

She hadn't seen him since he turned his back and ran from her that fateful day.

Ladybug had to deal with the chaos surrounding the issue on her own; speaking with the authorities, officially putting Gabriel in jail, and dealing with the press for months and months.

And each time she talked with an officer, interrogated Gabriel, or spoke at a press conference, she got the same question: Where is Chat Noir?

And she didn't know.

He hadn't been seen by her as Ladybug or as Marinette.

As Ladybug, however, she left messages for him whenever she went on patrol.

At first, it was to ask if he was ok and where he was, stuff like that. But soon it became her talking. Just talking. About anything. ANYTHING to get him to talk back.

But he never did.

She held conversations with a man that never responded.

1460 days.

Not. A. Word.

Not even a horrible cat pun.

And it crushed her to know that her kitty, her partner, the one person she could trust most of all was gone.

And from what she knew he wasn't coming back.

Ladybug didn't realize it until too late...

But she really loved that stupid cat.


	4. Chapter 4

Since the 4 year anniversary of Chat and Adrien's disappearances just passed, Marinette was feeling more down than usual.

But she never let it impact her work. She remained vigilant as Ladybug and patrolled the streets as long as she could.

Till one night.

It all caught up to her.

The weight of everything.

There wasn't any crime that night, it was quiet in Paris. What was the harm in stopping for a while?

She touched down onto a nearby roof. She sat there thinking.

What if they never came back? What if she never got the chance to see them again?

The look on Chat's face from that night was stilled etched into her nightmares. She wanted to see him smile again.

She wanted to know if Adrien he still even liked her. Is that why he wouldn't respond to her? Did he hate her?

Did Chat hate her?

Oh god. She felt it now. Her sobs shook her shoulders and Ladybug slowly sank to her knees on the roof. God could she use some of Tiki's good luck.

Then she gasped, quickly sitting up. It couldn't be so easy... could it?

Only one way to find out.

She threw her yo-yo in the air and called out her Lucky Charm.

What was the harm in stopping for a while?

Fate was about to tell.


	5. Chapter 5

She knew it couldn't be that easy.

Trying to use her Ladybug luck to see Chat and Adrien again.

She knew the universe would be callous to her.

Fate was a fickle mistress.

The charmed item was not the usual ambiguous item, no, for once it was very straightforward. Ladybug didn't even realize her charm could _do_ such a thing.

And now her heart hurt even more because standing in front of her was Chat.

Only he wasn't real.

It was just the Lucky Charm.

Ladybug stared. She stared at the face of her beloved partner.

Hesitantly, she walked up to him, as if she was afraid that moving too close would cause him to disappear.

She slowly lifted a hand to his face, cupping his cheek with her palm, and looked into his eyes. Oh, those eyes. She knew deep down that they were fake, but they felt so real.

Her knees felt wobbly. But she did not give way, at least, not until he spoke.

"Hey, bugaboo."

She crashed to the ground, sobs ripping from her throat as she clawed at his feet.

Ladybug had to remind herself: He wasn't real, he wasn't real, he wasn't real!

But he felt so real.

She just wanted it to end. For the pain to end. She cried at the cruel illusion to go away, that she didn't want to see Chat anymore.

She didn't expect it to listen.

For when she finally calmed herself to look up, Ladybug saw Adrien in Chat's place.

"Hi, Mari."

She only cried louder.

Her wails echoed through the streets of Paris.

Her fingertips dug firmly into her skin as her arms wrapped around herself.

And her heart. Her heart ached with the pain of a thousand heartbreak.

She had to do something!

She had to find release from this suffering.

After crying out "Miraculous Ladybug", Ladybug fumbled for her yo-yo and threw it as far as she could.

She raced, not knowing where to.

Her limbs throbbed by the time she found herself at the Efile Tower.

Her brain tried to talk some sense into her, but she could only focus on the hammering of her heart against her ribcage.

Anything to end it.

She shot up to the top. Releasing her transformation, Ladybug turned back into Marinette.

Tikki tried to talk to her. To help her.

She only removed her earrings and placed them in her purse.

She hung her purse on one of the poles.

Finally, Marinette took in the night skyline around her.

A cool breeze dried some of her tears as they slipped down her face.

Then, she went to the edge of the tower.

And she fell.

...

Only she never reached the bottom.


	6. Chapter 6

As Marinette fell from her perch on the tower, she was prepared for the impact of the ground.

She was not, however, prepared to be snatched from her descent midair.

And she was most definitely not prepared to look upon her savior and see Chat Noir's eyes peering back down at her.

Quickly, he set them down on a nearby rooftop.

Marinette could only stare at him. Frozen in place.

Despite Marinette's obvious distress in his presence, Chat proceeded to caringly scold her for what she had tried to do.

"Marinette, please, don't ever do that again! It would have killed me if you had succeeded in such an act! How could you!"

How could she?

How could _she_!

The cat was gone from her life. FOR FOUR YEARS! She thought he was dead and he had the audacity to ask her that!

"How could _I_?" Marinette said shakily. "HOW COULD _YOU_!" She shouted.

Chat back away, shocked. I don't believe he knew Marinette could yell at anyone(other than Chloe).

"You were gone for four years. Four. Not a word to anyone. Everyone thinks you're dead! How could you just leave Paris to defend itself! Leave everyone behind! Leave...me..." Marinette stated, she voice betraying her, breaking on the last word.

Chat was surprised, to say the least.

He hadn't thought his absence would matter that much.

He just assumed everyone would...move on, so he retorted.

"Yeah, I didn't think you would notice. Ladybug does a grand job without me. Who cares if the sidekick leaves?"

"You know that's not true!" Marinette yelled. "She needs you!"

"No, she doesn't!"

"YES, I DO!"

Marinette sobbed, there was no point in keeping it secret any longer.

"Yes, _I_ do."

She collapsed to the ground, weeping gently into her arms, leaving a baffled Chat Noir in her wake.

Marinette...was Ladybug?

The gears in his head began to turn. It all made sense now.

He forced himself to look down at his broken princess and his heart shattered.

"You say it would have killed you if I had died," Marinette whispered, "but I've been dead for four years."

She looked up at him, her alley cat, blurred by the flow of her tears, but still beautiful.

He looked almost the same, if not taller and a little scruffier, but he was still the same kitten she realized she loved.

Marinette forced herself to hold his gaze as he sat down in front of her.

She would not break.

She would not break.

"Plagg, claws in."

Now where Chat once knelt, there lied Adrien, tears of his own silently streaming down his face.

She was a bloody liar.

Marinette practically threw herself into his arms and cried four years of grief away.

They each held on to each other so tightly, gripping one another with such a ferocity like they were afraid to let go.

"I-I'm s-so sorry m-Marinette!" Adrien managed to get out in between his sobs. "I never should have left you for so long. I was angry and scared. A-and I n-never should have ignored you."

Marinette only cried harder at his word. Shaking in his arms, she said what she had been longing to say for what felt like an eternity.

"I love you."

It was quiet. So quiet if Adrien didn't have cat-like hearing he would have missed it.

But he was so glad he didn't.

"I love you, Marinette."

They looked at each other with such a longing in their eyes.

"I love you, I love you, I LOVE YOU!" He cried, suddenly lifting Marinette up into the air, spinning her around.

And for the first time in a long time, Marinette laughed.

The kind of laugh where you throw your head back and close your eyes, just to let that feeling of happiness wash over you.

When the world finally slowed for Marinette to look at him again, she wondered why she didn't realize his identity sooner.

Those eyes. That sparkling green belonged to both her Adrien AND Chat Noir.

And at that moment it mattered not what the last four years held, what mattered was that she found her kitty.

"Mon petite minou." She said, cupping his cheek with her hand and, finally, embracing his lips with hers.


	7. Chapter 7

Lord knows how long those two stayed like that.

Lips locked.

Wrapped in each other's embrace so tightly one might think they would never again let go.

But when the pair did finally resurface, they only lasted about two seconds apart before crashing into each other again.

Laughing, crying, basking in the glow of their reunited love.

Adrien placed his forehead against Marinette's and looked upon the face of his love. His lady. His princess. His everything!

God, she was so beautiful, what a fool he was to leave her for so long.

A damned fool.

He cupped her face with his palms forcing Marinette's eyes to meet him. Those sparkling bluebell eyes.

Adrien didn't know how he was still upright; the way she was looking at him, with such unadulterated love in her eye, he swore his legs were on the verge of collapsing underneath him.

"Marinette," he said, his tongue darted across his bottom lip nervously, "words could not describe how wrong it was for me to leave like that. To see you standing on the tower-"

Adrien had to stop, more tears began spilling from his eyes.

"-I still can't believe how my absence could have caused you so much pain."

Was he serious? Marinette was astonished, to say the least.

"Are you kidding me right now?!" She exclaimed.

Adrien looked at her in surprise through his misty eyes.

"Adrien I have loved you every single day since you gave me that umbrella."

Time stopped.

Did she really just say that?

Adrien looked at his lady once more and could tell by the look in her eye that she had never been more serious in her life.

His heart beat out of his chest.

"And Chat... I never had the courage to admit it, but Kitty you found a way to worm into my heart cat ears and all!"

Adrien had never felt such adoration in his life.

"I. Love. _You_." She concluded, wiping the tears from his face.

Sporting his Cheshire grin, Adrien scooped up Marinette, dipping the giggling bluenette towards the ground and kissing her.

He sent a string of kisses up her soft neck.

He slowly made his way across her jawline, occasionally dragging his teeth over her luscious skin, making her shiver in delight.

Finally, he settled on her lips.

It wasn't fiery, no, not like their first kiss; it was warm and tender. But that didn't make it any less passionate.

He took his time, slowly angling his mouth to her perfectly pink one, till Marinette could wait no longer.

She softly pressed her lips to his. After everything that happened, they were in no rush. They had all the time in the world to be together and they were gonna make it last.

Every. Last. Second.

Adrien held Marinette to him, hands pushing against her back, which she arched into his body.

She smelled just like the bakery her parents owned. Her cinnamon and sugar aroma drifted through Adrien's senses.

She smelled like love.

And Adrien wanted to feel that love for the rest of his life.

"Will you be my girlfriend?" He questioned.

The bluenette looked up at him, startled.

Ok, to be frank, she looked like a deer caught in headlights.

It made Adrien giggle to see Marinette reduced to the cute, blushing girl he knew from high school.

"m-Me?" She managed to get out.

"Of course!" Adrien exclaimed. He thought it was pretty apparent with all the kissing and, I don't know, saying "I love you"!

"Sorry, I just, I never thought you would. Cause your YOU and I'm...I'm me. And after tonight it's just all so crazy."

Adrien could understand her need to process everything. Heck, he essentially just came back from the dead! But her words against herself?

He would not stand for it.

"My lady, Marinette, how could you ever think I wouldn't want you. You are the bravest, smartest, and kindest person I have ever met. You're so passionate and determined. You're absolutely wonderful and I wouldn't want to date anyone BUT you."

If Marinette wasn't crying before, she was now.

Laced once more in each other's arms, Marinette said the words she had been waiting over four years to say.

"Adrien Agreste, nothing would give me greater pleasure than having the honor of being your girlfriend."


	8. Chapter 8

It had been six weeks since the identity reveal.

Six weeks since Marinette and Adrien finally realized their love for each other.

And six weeks since Paris rejoiced at the return of the leather-clad superhero.

Yes, soon after Marinette agreed to be his girlfriend, Adrien re-transformed and made his presence known throughout Paris.

The city was ecstatic to have their superhero duo back together! Especially after Ladybug and Chat Noir revealed they were finally dating.

But _Adrien_ had not yet reappeared in Paris.

The two still had to make sure that no one else knew their true selves, so Marinette and Adrien agreed that it was best for Chat to come back first before Adrien could reappear.

Six weeks.

And Ariden was dreading it.

He didn't know how he could face his friends after being gone for so long! Nino and Alya, how would they react once he officially came back?

And his father...

Adrien didn't even want to think about facing his father after all this time.

What would he say?

"Hey dad, it's me, I know I've been gone for four years but let's talk about how you turned out to be Paris' most evil supervillain!"

Yeah, that wasn't gonna happen.

Still, he had to face him eventually, Adrien just hoped it would be with his old friends back at his side.

He had to talk to Nino and Alya first.

So, after A LOT of coaching and support from Marinette, Adrien was finally ready to greet them after four long years.

Marinette had asked Nino and Alya to meet her at her apartment, it was like a safe space for everyone.

Once they arrived Marinette only said that she had something important to tell them.

Alya said she better not be pregnant.

A very embarrassed looking Marinette assured her she was not.

Instead, she got up and ushered in an older, but unforgettable Adrien.

"h-Hi guys."

Adrien had prepared himself for what he thought was gonna happen.

Alya would slam into full-on reporter mode, shouting at him, throwing questions at him from every angle.

While he thought Nino would just be in shock; utter disbelief.

Dear god was he wrong.

Nothing could have prepared him to see Alya, the unafraid, loud, and powerful girl he knew, to only stare at him before sobs racked her body. Her strong frame was bent over as countless tears poured from her eyes.

Marinette rushed over to console her friend, leaving Adrien alone with Nino.

Adrien could never have expected Nino, the chill and laid back DJ, to stiffly get up from his spot, march over to him, and slap him clear across the face.

"HOW COULD YOU!" He screamed fiercely. "WE WAITED AN ETERNITY FOR YOU! THOUSANDS OF TEXTS! HUNDREDS OF CALLS! ALL IGNORED! WE THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!"

"I THOUGHT YOU...You...were...gone..." Nino's screams finally gave way to sobs and he clung to his best friend, tears staining Adrien's shirt.

But Adrien didn't care.

His own tears now sprung free from his eyes.

He gripped his friend tightly as the two made up for four years apart.

Soon the girls joined them. Marinette was tearing up again, too.

It seemed like there was an awful lot of crying happening lately, but that's what brought them together.

A group of friends, shedding tears as they grasped one another.

Four hearts finally reunited to beat in harmony once more.


	9. Chapter 9

So after they finished sobbing their hearts out, Nino and Alya proceeded to sit Adrien down and give him a stern talking to.

Like the good parents they were.

When Marinette attempted to sneak out, Alya immediately caught her and sat her down beside her stupid cat boyfriend. Yelling something about how it wouldn't be fair to admonish only one child.

Adrien explained everything. Everything everything.

About that last day, realizing Hawkmoth was his father, and leaving the country.

But most importantly about being Chat Noir.

Then Marinette shared her secret with the two friends as well.

Let's just say that the new couple was trapped for a solid hour listening to their best friends lecture them further.

To be fair, it was less of a lecture and more of Nino repeatedly exclaiming "DUDE!" while Alya muttered loudly about her reporter skills.

Eventually, everyone did calm down and Nino brought up the topic that Adrien really, really didn't want to talk about.

"So...Adrien...what are you gonna do about your dad? Have you told him any of this?"

Adrien tensed up immediately. Marinette, sensing his discomfort, snuggled close to him, soothingly rubbing his back in an effort ease his stress.

It didn't work.

Adrien hadn't seen his father in over four years after he discovered that the man he once loved, the man he would have done anything for, anything to make him feel even the slightest happiness was the villain of Paris.

It's not like he was much of a father to him anyway after his mom left, but it hurt just the same.

Could he face him after all this time?

What would he say?

Would he even recognize him?

What if-Adrien's train of thought was disrupted by his friends and girlfriend, who wrapped themselves around him in one giant hug.

"We're here for you man."

"No matter what you decide, we'll help you."

"It's your choice, minou."

Their support was overwhelming, more than Adrien deserved. He tightly hugged them back. If his friends loved him no matter what, then he knew he could face his father.

Adrien already discovered the love that Gabriel could never give him.

The next day Adrien decided to visit the prison where his father was being kept.

He wanted to go alone but Marinette practically latched herself onto him and threatened to ban him from her parent's bakery.

He eventually gave in and let her join him.

Mostly because he couldn't live without chocolate croissants.

But also because, even though he didn't want to admit it, he didn't think he could go without Marinette by his side.

When they were finally allowed to see Gabriel, Adrien was surprised to see not much had changed.

His father still held himself like he was the most powerful man in the room.

If it weren't for the fact that he was a prisoner, Adrien was very much sure Gabriel could have commanded the respect of the entire prison.

But when Adrien looked into his steel blue eyes, he still found harshness, but he also found pain.

A broken man lied behind those eyes.

Gabriel finally broke the silence. "Son."

"Don't call me that. I am not your son. Not after what you did."

Gabriel scoffed. "What I did? What I did was for you, for us. _Son_."

It took all of Adrien's willpower and knowing that Marinette was with him to not launch himself at the bars and see if he could strangle his father through them.

"How could terrorizing Paris, hurting its citizens, possibly help me."

"If I had gained possession of the miraculous, I could have brought your mother back!" Gabriel yelled. "I COULD HAVE BROUGHT HER BACK!"

"TRYING TO BRING HER BACK ISN'T WORTH HURTING SO MANY IN THE PROCESS!" Adrien shouted, clenching his shaking fists by his side. He could feel Marinette watching him, ready to step in if necessary. No. It wouldn't come to that. He would be the bigger man.

After a few deep breaths, he continued adressing his father.

"Did you ever think about why she left? Hm? Maybe because of you. But it doesn't matter. She's not coming back. You could have chosen to, I don't know, actually care for your son! But instead, you went parading around in a butterfly costume!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW SHE'S GONE! SHE COULD BE OUT THERE! IF IT WEREN'T FOR LADYBUG AND CHAT NOIR-"

"I'M CHAT NOIR!" Adrien finally shouted. "I am the one who stopped you."

His father now only looked upon him with hatred in his eyes. It shouldn't have stung, but it did.

"And was it worth it?" Gabriel questioned.

"I'd do it again in a heartbeat," Adrien replied confidently.

Gabriel just sneered. "You always were pathetic. How did I end up with such a disappointment? If your mother could see you now-"

"She would be proud," Marinette interjected. Both men now looked at her in surprise.

"From everything Adrien has told about his mother, I know she was a wonderfully kind person. She would be proud to know that her son matured into such an amazing young man, selfless enough to put himself in danger to help others." Marinette stated as she squeezed Adrien's hand lovingly.

"You, however," Marinette said as she turned to Gabriel with the fury of a thousand suns behind her eyes, "she would be positively horrified to see the man she once loved become a creature so cold and callous."

She sauntered up to the bars, face to face with Gabriel, and spat, "You don't deserve to have someone like Adrien as your son and I swear on my miraculous if you ever do anything to hurt him more than you already have, I will personally make your life a living hell."

Adrien smiled proudly at his girlfriend and at the fact that his father had the most horrified expression and was glancing between Marinette's threatening scowl and the earrings he realized she possessed.

Marinette then went back to Adrien who promptly pulled her into a passionate kiss.

"Come on, minou, let's go home."

So together, Marinette and Adrien, Ladybug and Chat Noir, walked away from the past and into a brighter future.

 _~Fin~_

I hope everyone enjoyed reading _Without You_! Thank you to everyone who commented and showed me support, I appreciate you all dearly.


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